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| Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2 |
No one expected Baby Yoda. The reveal at the end of The Mandalorian's first episode, utilizing the same silhouetted-ears-from-behind shot that heralded Force ghost Yoda's appearance in The Last Jedi, was blindsiding. While hints were in the air that the titular character would come to protect a young charge (the Lone Wolf and Cub setup), the reveal redefined the conception of the show from a notional bounty of the week structure to odd couple domestic adventure.
By making the Child Yoda's species, the reveal also tied into the larger Star Wars mythology, a project that the second season expanded with many tendrils. With an ear to the ground, appearances from Boba Fett, Bo-Katan Kryze, and Ahsoka Tano came as welcome developments but not surprises. But Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 were shocking cameos, at least to me.
Spinning out of the first season, a quest to find the Child's (now Grogu's) kind was interpreted by most to be a search for other members of Yoda and Yaddle's species. But Season 2 reoriented that, avoiding demystification via a planet of the Kermits by defining Grogu's "kind" as another Jedi. And in a painful, poignant scene, Din said goodbye to Grogu, leaving him in the charge of Luke. For my part, I am prepared for and content with Grogu never appearing on the show again, but it also seems unthinkable that part of what defines the show as a piece of drama and a cultural phenomenon will never return. But I remain open to either cold turkey removal of Grogu for good, or an eventual reunion.
The show's portrayals of both its Jedi characters, Ahsoka and Luke, skewed toward the reverent, like these were mythological figures and not flesh and blood people. Not that there weren't precious dewdrops of characterization from both, but the show itself reacted to them, especially Luke, with a certain depersonalizing awe. Luke never names himself; he represents the legend of the Jedi. The episode in which he appears is called "The Rescue", and Luke's rescue here is quite a contrast from A New Hope's "I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you!"
The build-up to his appearance is kicked off by the arrival of his iconic X-Wing. This continues the mythologizing of that craft, particularly in The Rise of Skywalker. Rey leads the Resistance to Exegol in that fighter and is recognized over sensors with, "That's Luke Skywalker's X-Wing." In a moment of jubilation, Finn exclaims, "Red Five is in the air!" In that same movie, we see a de-aged Return of the Jedi-era Mark Hamill face on a body double, showing that The Mandalorian is not the first Star Wars project to make that move.
These big character reveals may dominate the headlines, but to the show's credit it also brought back guest stars from Season 1 for further development. While Greef Karga only featured in one episode, Cara Dune and Fennec Shand's roles expanded, and minor characters like the Mythrol and Q9-0 came back with a new spin on their characterization. (Peli Motto came back much the same!) The poster child of this character rehabilitation was certainly Migs Mayfeld, a fairly generic rogue in Season 1, a likable, almost wise antihero in Season 2.
Season 2 saw composer Ludwig Göransson incorporate past Star Wars music into the show for the first time: From Kevin Kiner, Ahsoka's theme. From John Williams, Yoda's theme, the Star Wars theme, and the Force theme.
There was also acknowledgement of some of George Lucas' foundational influences when creating Star Wars, namely Akira Kurosawa movies and Frank Herbert's Dune. Lucas mentee Dave Filoni framed Ahsoka as a ronin samurai Jedi, using shots taken from Yojimbo and Seven Samurai. The town in that episode was called Caladan, a name from Dune, and the spectacle of a krayt dragon was extremely reminiscent of a sandworm.
Season 2 followed the "bigger and better" paradigm, making for a fine companion piece with Season 1. As the show goes on, it must redefine what the show is yet again. All the Mandalorian lore was a sideshow in the end to the bond between surrogate father and son. What is the show now? I'm fascinated to find out.
Elements from Star Wars canon depicted in live-action for the first time in The Mandalorian Season 2:
- Cobb Vanth, from the Aftermath novels
- A live krayt dragon
- Temuera Morrison lending more than his voice to Boba Fett
- Bo-Katan Kryze
- Dark troopers
- Ahsoka Tano
- A convor (space owl)
- Mandalorian dagger ship
Top 5 moments:
5) Jon Favreau restages Cowboys & Aliens vs. a krayt dragon, "The Marshal"
4) Mayfeld shoots first, "The Believer"
3) Ahsoka Tano vs. Morgan Elsbeth, "The Jedi"
2) Luke's arrival/goodbye to Grogu, "The Rescue"
1) Armored Boba Fett jets down into the fray, "The Tragedy"
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